'' Nice evenen, Ma'am," as Jayden tips his hat with packages in his hands, walking the streets of New Downing on 3rd street. The lights all hung, the shops giving off a warm glow
of color with carolers on the corner. Lizzy and Jayden bundle up in the sleigh as they drive towards the Downing Farm with packages for all the children and a little extra surprise as he smiles at the passers-by. "Lizzy, do ya mind if we made an extra stop along the way for me?" He leans over the seat, grabbing an extra poster to place it in the nearby window. ''I'll just be a moment," he said, then making sure she bundled up tight. Standing back to admire his work, he smiles. "That should do it."
"Do what?'' Lizzy asks, turning around and watching her future husband place the poster in the windows across the town of New Downing. "Nothing dear," as he climbs back into the sleigh with a twinkle in his eye, leans over and kisses her on the cheek as she smiles.
Lizzy thought it was the best thing in the world as she had fallen head over heels for this man. Even though he had some secrets which he had promised to tell her about. They have yet to get around to it.
"You didn't, dear?"
"I did," he laughs aloud. "They'll love it," Lizzy says as she looks back at the poster on the window, shaking her head.
"Of course they will," she replied. She knew the boys well enough to realize that they wouldn't be pleased with what Jayden had done despite his good intentions. He had wanted to create a cherished memory for them before everything changed. He never revealed the reason behind his actions, but he believed that it would cement their bond as brothers and their love for their family.
Nonetheless, Lizzy appreciated the poster with a picture of a glowing Christmas tree featuring the Downing and Whitmore boys gathered around it, holding music books, and singing. She thought it was a lovely addition.
Christmas Barber Shop Quartet Dec 21st through the 23rd, Payson Jr. Sponsored By Jayden Faith Choir.
It was only a brief time before Jayden and Lizzy reached their true destination, the Downing farm, after placing all the posters all over New Downing, Payson, and Santaquin. He had also posted it in all the local newspapers all over the county. The moment they opened the door and told them about it. They were not as excited about what Jayden had hoped for him or the Downings, even the Whitmore boys he had visited earlier in the day. 'Well, you cannot have everything, the saying goes.'
"You did what?" Wayne asked when he looked at the invitation and then at his boy's surprised and frightened faces.
"That's right," Martha said, Wayne, turning his head towards her. Wayne stood there dumbfounded. "They earned it, "she replied, putting
her arm around her boys, and trying to cheer them up. "They are going to sing at the concert at the school, isn't that nice," Ma, knowing full well why Jayden was doing it, gave them each a kiss on the cheek, it also
said time is short and the things in her visions are about to happen. "My angels." Oh God in heaven please tell me we have more time. Getting no answer as she tries to plead for their mercy Robert, EJ, and Will feel weak in the knees, as if Mr. Faith has just lost his mind, and not for the first time. "You are joking, right?" Robert asked as Lizzy showed them the poster; they had just spent the morning hanging all over town. Plus, the articles they placed in all the local papers.
They were stating that clearly. "I just put it in the paper this morning,"
Jayden replied as the boys looked at Pa in horror.
"What's wrong, boys? I thought you would be pleased," Jayden saw the shock on their faces as they hung their heads. The boys were all whispering. "We're doomed," as they leave the room, falling on the couch with their heads in their hands. It was bad enough when they were competing at the choir festival, but now in front of the world.
Ma was watching her boys hang their heads. "They'll be fine," and she thanks Mr. Faith, giving him a hug and Lizzy a warm smile, then pauses, feeling a slight tingle; "oh my," as a shiver runs down her spine. She was wondering what caused that.
Pa watches them go, shaking his head and looking at his boys; knowing how they feel, he tries to keep their minds off it. ''Alright, boys," he says, looking at Ma and then around the room as he rubs his hands together, getting an excited look in his eyes. "Let's do it."
Ma was watching Pa as if he had lost his mind again. "Do what?" She asks. Almost afraid of what he was going to do next. Knowing her husband, it most likely would be outrageous.
"Christmas, of course," he said, rolling his eyes and kissing her."Now, where did I put those decorations?"
Looking around the house and, begins pulling out boxes behind the closets and laughing, yelling down the hall for the girls, Julie, and Anna.
"Yes, Pa?" The girls replied with curiosity.
"It's time," as he twirls his daughters around the living room, "for Christmas," as he laughs and swings Sam and Ted in the air.
"But Wayne dear, it is still five weeks away," Ma replied.
"So?" He said as he shrugged his shoulders, watching Aunty M run down the stairs to see what the ruckus was about. "But nothing," Pa said, watching his boys' faces as he twirled his daughters around the living room one more time. "I think it's going to be early this year," Pa smiled and chuckled.
Ma laughs with a twinkle in her eye. ''Are you sure, dear?"
"Yes dear," kissing her on the cheek. ''After all, we have guests, right boys?" thinking of the Whitmore family corning over to spend the holidays with them.
"Right, Pa," Robert replies, getting off the couch. "It will be fun," he said, pushing his brothers over, laughing to get them to smile. Wanting to add another unforgettable memory before the doom of gloom comes, he checks off another day on his calendar, knowing the time is approaching even more quickly.
''Alright, Pa," Will said, and EJ watched him having all the fun without
them. Watching Robert giving his brother Will that knowing look, he said this is important, brother; help me. We need this more than you know, as he had told him in strict confidence. Some of the events that are about to take place are not so far off in the future for them and their entire family. They decorated the house in all its splendor despite Christmas being weeks away. It did give them something to do as the concert date loomed closer. The house was great as it smelled of pine. They went through two trees that year, as Pa lets the boys Will and EJ chop down the tree for the very first time.
EJ could barely hold an ax, smearing pine gum from the tip of his chin and all through his hair. EJ did not mind, though, as they shoved the tree through the front door, Ma screaming. "Mind my new floors," as the branches came through the door.
"Yes, Ma," EJ replied with a tree branch stuck in his mouth.
Pa would measure as he scratched his head, looking at the tree from side to side. "I could have sworn it looked smaller outside," he said as he mumbled, trying to find the best side. Ma tells them to turn the tree to the right and then to the left as Pa stands on a stool, trying to hold it up straight.
While Robert and EJ place bricks underneath to keep it in place. "How's that, Pa?" Robert asks.
"Just fine, son," Pa replied as the tree leaned south a bit, turning their heads.
Ma smiled, "Looks great," she said as she lied, turning her head, trying hard not to giggle. She quickly entered the kitchen, holding her hand to her mouth and looking at the tree in the family room then burst out laughing, because it was the worst tree she had ever seen, being it had no good side from any angle.
Now, too, Aunty M, it was a whole different matter, slapping Pa hard on the back, "Is that a stick or a tree, son? I have never seen such pitiful looking thing." She said as she slapped her knee and handed him the ax, pointing to the fireplace, laughing. "Best to put it out of its misery, dear," shaking her head.Then back out to the fields they went, looking for another until finally even she was happy. "Yes, sir, now that's a tree," she said as she cocks her head to one side and down the other. Did they mention it only took up half the new family room and had a trunk the size of Paul himself and his blue mule, or was it an ox? Anyway, it was huge.
Ma and the girls were busy stringing popcorn with Sam and Ted, trying not to eat it all, mixing it with chestnuts and cranberries they had saved and dried during the summer months. Everything was going great until Mrs. Jennings, disguised in truth, was known by her people as Mrs. Lady Luck, arrived, and EJ sighed, looking out the window. "Ma, do I have to?" He replied as she rubbed his hair and kissed his cheek.
"Yes, dear," she replied, seeing the disappointment on his face, "it's only for a little while, and then she'll go home."
It was these visits EJ was not looking forward to. He would prefer she did not bother coming at all. It did not matter to him if his mother had changed her attitude or a different mind frame about him and his little brother Danny.
Ever since Mrs. Jennings came into the picture, by some strange coincidence, he would rather see her and his father in jail or in Hell, perforable, for all the things they have done. Nobody would agree more if that were the case.
"I know," EJ said as he sighed, watching his mother walk to the door. ''At least it was just her and Danny," he thought as he looked outside in the car. "Ma, Danny's not coming?" It was just another great disappointment and another promise unkept by her. Yes, she truly belonged in Hell, or behind bars he didn't really care, along with his father.
EJ stood in the dimly lit room. His gaze fixed on his Ma's tear-filled eyes. The sound of her gentle voice, filled with sorrow, echoed in his ears, each word crashing down like a heavy brick on the cold floor.
Ma struggled to understand why she continued to play this dangerous game with Linda and her husband, Jim Stuart. Deep down, she couldn't comprehend their motives.
The weight of her confession, admitting to hurting EJ's little brother Danny during Wayne's visit, was still present as she wandered through Aunty M's cotton fields in Arizona. The war was now a thing of the past. So, they all thought, and Jim and Linda Sturt had lost the battle. With their strong wording, the court documents left no room for doubt that any harm to the boys would result in the complete loss of custody.
The game was over, and they would take away EJ and Danny, never to be seen again, no longer being their parents.
But now, all the evidence had vanished regarding the adoption petitions of the two boys EJ and Danny. The documents, photographs, and flies that proved EJ's existence seemed to have disappeared into thin air. It wasn't just from the Stuarts' home, but also from their secure indoor safe, the bank's safe deposit box, and every government office. There was no trace left behind.
Aunt Margaret's intervention had brought some hope. She had sent a trusted friend to investigate, and they had managed to find some of the missing documents. However, not all of them. They were back to square one, racing against time.
Ma fought to overcome the feeling that their days here were numbered. Visions haunted her, whispering that their time was running out. The waiting game felt futile. Soon, none of it would matter. As the visions and the Gods of Light had foretold, the Downing Family and their extended kin would leave this realm, leaving behind their insignificant troubles.
They would simply vanish from the face of the earth. Where they would go, only the Gods of Light and their loyal followers knew.
"Come in, Mrs. Jennings and Linda," Ma said, opening the door behind them, taking their coats and guiding them in.
"Please call me Barbra; Mrs. Jennings sounds so formal," she said as she looked around the room, taking off her coat and warming herself by the fire." And how are you, EJ? And the Downings?" she asked, shaking the chill off her shoulders. Thinking this is nothing compared to the cold she
felt in the Stuart's home, more so around her husband Jim. Knowing how Morgan infected him last summer, he is lucky to be alive. If they had not arrived when they did, not only once but three times, the very thought would bring a shiver down her spine.
"Fine," he replied, not all that enthused about them being here in the first place.
"O my, isn't that lovely," she said, looking at the Christmas tree next to the new family room. "It is a big one, I must say, and I do. You think so, Linda?" Barbra asked, turning around to face Linda, noticing Linda was too busy staring at EJ even to see the enormous tree. Or anything else, for that matter.
"Huh?" Linda said, not realizing someone was talking to her. "The tree?" As Barbra gives her a quick nudge.
"Oh yes, lovely. I cannot wait to put ours up," Linda quickly said.
Mrs. Jennings turns to face Martha now that everything is going according to plan. She knew that EJ's mother was essential if they were going to have any success in gaining back the soul she had carelessly given away. Her husband Jim's, however, was a whole different matter. Not even enough luck in the world could get him even to consider himself to be a part of the boy EJ's life or his younger son Danny's. Too much damage has been done there. Not even a magical occurrence could warm his heart for his sons,' since he never wanted him or his brother in the first place. The question is, how did someone like him become such a cruel and hateful man? And how did Morgan find the boy so quickly when they had been working so hard to do everything it took to protect him so he would not find the boy or be able to bring forth the Dark Prince? If the outcome doesn't change that reality could come to pass and must not happen if she has anything to do about it. Yes, so many questions and so little time.
She gave a heavy sigh and spoke. "Now then, Martha, how about a nice spot of tea, and we will leave these two alone for a while," Barbra said, taking Martha by the arm into the newly built kitchen like the rest of the house, which had been rebuilt during the summer soon after, with the help of Morgan had burnt the other one down, in hopes of gaining the boy EJ and displacing everyone around him. Instead, it had the opposite effect, as all the nearby farmers rallied around them.
"What?" Martha replied.
"Tea, please," Mrs. Jennings requested as Martha, and she looked toward EJ. "Oh, he'll be fine, dear," Mrs. Jennings reassured her as she dragged her into the kitchen. She waved a quick spell to ensure that the boy and his mother had a little bit of a stroke of luck, or a lot of luck in this case, as she felt the power inside of her wane a bit. Barbra is hopeful that Linda will eventually reconcile with her son EJ, even though some time may need to pass. Linda has realized that she desperately wants her boys back and hopes it's not too late, as all her children have already been taken away and could be again forever this time.
Barbra is willing to help Linda rediscover the part of herself that Linda had buried deep inside and has put in a lot of effort to help her. However, Linda is still struggling to regain her soul and feels like she's on a knife's edge, where one wrong move could lead to eternal damnation. If she makes the right choices, she can regain her soul and love for all her children, not just her girls. While it seems less likely, there's also a chance that her husband, Jim, could come around.
EJ's eyes are still locked on his mother, and hers are locked on him as he quickly backs away. "EJ," his mother whispers, "it is all right. I will not hurt you, look," as she backs away a bit from him. EJ watches from the corner of his eyes, seeing Pa in the next room. EJ backs away just a little further so he can see him clearly as Pa nods to him, watching Linda around the corner from the family room.
EJ's mother found a chair near the fireplace, a safe distance from the door. She whispered again, a little bit louder and softer. "EJ, please forgive me." She looked into his eyes with tears and said. 'Tm sorry, son," as quiet tears strolled down her cheek. She hated that name his grandmother gave him but was willing to use it, whatever it took to get him to come home again, where she strongly felt and believed he belonged.
EJ sat on the couch, still watching his mother with his Pa in the corner of his eye, trying to relax. He watched for any sudden movement as his mother watched him. She whispered again. "Please, EJ, I'm really sorry, son," trying to get closer to him slowly. EJ, watching her, never leaving his eyes off her for a second, almost frozen to his spot. As EJ's mother draws closer to him, fear fills him as he tenses up.
EJ's mother noticed her son's muscles tightening and his fear increasing. She began to speak more softly and calmly, thinking of what promise she could make that he would believe. EJ had learned from the Downing's that when someone makes a promise, they better keep it or pay the consequences. His mother was willing to do whatever it took to get her family back, even if it meant making a promise to her son.
She couldn't believe what she and her husband Jim had done to their children this time. He was lucky to be alive. Next time though-, if there is a next, he won't be. She was sure as the sun rose in the morning that he would survive, and neither would she. She whispered. "I promise that it won't ever happen again," hoping it would make a difference. Tears almost washed down her face as she looked at her scared little boy. She pleaded again, telling him how sorry she was.
EJ looks at her for the first time with real hope in years, trying to relax just a little. He looks into her tearful eyes. "You promise?" he asks, looking straight at her.
She nods with a shaking voice. "I promise."
"Do you, Mom, promise not to touch me or Danny ever again," EJ asks as she sits next to him so she can at least touch him. He lets go with tears in his eyes as she squeezes his shoulder and kisses his tearful cheek. She nodded again and spoke. "Yes, I promise you that I will never hurt you, or your little brother Danny ever again. I swear to God-may he have mercy on my very soul that it will never happen again," she said as she carefully reached over and kissed his wet, tearful cheeks.
EJ's Pa watched from his side of the room, giving Linda a nod and a soft warning; as she squeezed her son one more time, she whispered. "Thank you," knowing he has been a true father to her son then her husband Jim will ever be as they both sit by the fire.
She sits with her son next to the fire, thinking it could be the fires of hell as she avoids them altogether, talking of nothing important to pass the time away. For her, it did not matter. This time, she got what she wanted as she left the house that day. She waves down the road, wiping a tear, as she says goodbye to her son EJ and his little brother Danny for Christmas that year.
He may not come home this year, but at least he let her in for just a moment, as they both forgave each other. Something that had never happened before in all the years she had kept him bouncing around in the foster care system for months at a time and sometimes years. This time, she intended to keep that promise she had made to him. Knowing next time, if she breaks that promise, not only will she lose him, but she will also lose her girls and his brother Danny, who is the world to her.
It took Mrs.Jennings to help her see that and find out the hard way. If she did not make a change, she meant a real change. She will live without her girls, whom she loves more than life itself. Not only that but spend eternity in Hell. Or worse, she did not understand how much worse it could get, but if the nightmares she was having were any indication, it was more than just a wake-up call.
Even though Linda was facing financial difficulties and struggling with her inner demons, she had promised her son Eric and Mrs. Jennings that she would not break her word. She sighed and said. "Maybe next year. Yes, there's always next year," while forcing a smile. Linda kissed her son Danny on the cheek and put the gifts she had bought in the car despite her husband Jim's disapproval. Jim disliked Christmas and Linda's sons, Danny and Eric even more. Linda felt uneasy about Eric's name being changed to EJ's but knew she had to accept it even though it would be hard it was just one more change of many she would have to live with, for now at least.
After putting Danny and the gifts in the car, Linda said, "Have fun!" Danny waved goodbye and shouted out the window of Mrs. Jennings's car."I will, Ma.ma!" Linda knew Danny would not be spending Christmas with her either, feeling the tears filling her eyes with great sorrow and regret for all the wasted years she could have had if only she changed sooner. Yet it wasn't too late, No, not too late yet. She whispered in her to herself, she prayed to the Gods above that it wasn't too late.
Linda realized that her husband, Jim, had won this round. He wanted only the four of them for the holidays, while she wanted her whole family to be together again. It broke her heart that neither of her boys would be with her for Christmas, but she had to choose between breaking her promise or losing everything. Watching Mrs. Jennings's car as it went around the corner, Linda said. "Come on, girls. We have shopping to do, and I am not taking no for an answer." She placed her hands on her hips and looked at the long, unaffordable list.
"Yes, dear," Jim mumbled, getting inside the car. Wondering how he would pay for everything she intended to buy this year that they could not afford. No, Jim hated the holidays. He hated everything about them. The noises, the tireless, endless emotions of people having happy, go-lucky lives; when he had nothing except this miserable family, he did not want a wife and kids that were worthless to him. No. He hated the holidays the most. More so than ever before. "Yes," he whispers, "he should have killed them all!"